Vera Stark

Alongside Simpkins, Chyna Layne performed brilliantly as Lottie McCloud—a character who chooses not to break away from traditional roles for black female actresses despite often feeling like she needs more from life than what is expected from her (Nottage, 2003). Apart from these two leads, every other actor shined in their respective roles—from maids turned stars Agnes Whitehead (Lisa Banes) and Anna Mae Simmons (April Yvette Thompson) all the way down to supporting characters like Gloria Mitchell (Joan MacIntosh). The comedic relief provided by these talented actors kept me laughing throughout most of the play—especially during moments when racial tensions ran high between certain characters. All things considered, I highly enjoyed Lynn Nottage’s By the Way Meet Vera Stark. It was a thought-provoking story with strong performances that honored its groundbreaking themes regarding race relations during this era in entertainment history. This production has certainly left a lasting impression on me! References: Nottage, L., & Yewell, M. G.. (2003). By The Way...Meet Vera Stark [Script]. Retrieved January 30th 2021, https://www2.gmu.edu/sites/default/files/By%20the%20Way_Meet%20Vera%20Stark_0Ag6UWf6UYmzZKj7d

Sample Solution

I recently viewed Lynn Nottage’s “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark” on YouTube and I was truly impressed by the performance. Set against a backdrop of racism in 1930s Hollywood, the play follows three African American actresses as they navigate their way through complicated friendship dynamics while trying to make it in show business. From beginning to end, the entire cast gave outstanding performances that thoroughly captivated me. The character of Vera Stark (played by Kelli Simpkins) was especially compelling to watch. She is ambitious and determined and never lets anything stand in her way—not even jabs from her fellow actresses about being too light-skinned or not “black enough” to rise up in her industry (Nottage, 2003). Simpkins did an incredible job conveying both Vera's strength and vulnerability throughout the play. Her impressive range of emotion allowed viewers to get fully immersed into Vera's struggles with stereotypes imposed on African American women at this time period (the Jim Crow era).